I have to design and "market" a product in one of my engineering classes. I have no shortage of ideas for both new products and improvements to existing ones. However, I do have trouble coming up with good names for them. What I have chose to design is a mount for the bed of a pickup that holds wakeboards when traveling.

I guess I have two questions.

1. How many people would be interested in something like this?

2. Can you help me come up with a good name for it?

I can post pictures of what I have, I'm just not sure how to protect my "intellectual property" also, is there already a solution for this? I haven't seen one.

Hey Jon, how about an automatic flag deployer... There is one available on the internet, cant remember the name, but they charge like $700 for it. Dont know if theres a patent or not. But, it is a GREAT idea. I will not spend $700 for this even if it told me how good lookin I was every time I used it. Wouldnt it be cool if a clever engineering student came up with a robust design that could be mfg'd and marketed over the web for ~$100. Sorry if this isnt helpful, just wasnt sure if you were set on the truck idea... PS: not sure how marketable that idea is. If you have a truck already, do you really need racks to hold 4 boards?

No where I ride requires you to have a flag. Can you email me the laws? It already have some ideas, all of which should be under $700.

I tow my boat about 60 miles each way when I ride. Most of it is parkway. I don't have a good place to keep 4 boards. When doing this. I may find out I am the only one that wants a product lke this. Thanks for the sugestions. Keep them coming.

I do not have a truck so no need for me but I would say a lot of guys have pickups and this would be a great idea. Are you mounting the board holders with bolts through the bed of the truck? If so I would say that some sort of quick connect system is needed. I really like the look and the concept of the board holders. They look really legit. I'm happy they don't use bungees but it seems like they could be somewhat more expensive. Thanks for sharing.

But I guess I can't help you with the naming of the product. I'm not feeling very creative today.

Jon - I dont have a copy of the laws - but I think most states have laws about towboats requiring an orange flag when towing something (tube, skier, wakeboarder, etc). this is to alert folks on the lake/river that there is someone in the water... I see you live in KY, maybe they dont have that law (Im surprised). On the west coast, I think OR, WA, CA all require a flag.

So when you're towing, the flag can be down. But when the skier falls, you have to get the flag up in the air. Its kind of a hassle, because it always seems that people are forgetting. Enabling the driver to deploy the flag (and un-deploy it) would be a big win IMO... Let me see if I can find the one I was referring to...

Definately think that there would be a market out there for a product like this!!!
Love the Hyperlite Murray Boards on the Racks. Looks like a sweet product... but just get the feeling it would hit the pocket pretty hard??? i would prob. be more likely to invest in something that still is able to maintain the space in the Tub of the truck. perhaps a lifted rack that still allows room for your camping gear and swag???

You are coming up short and the product is way to limited, your target is minuscule. Take it all the way. Allot of people have bed toppers or hard covers or lifted trucks that make loading and unloading boards, gas cans etc a pain. Even a regular open bed requires you hop in and out and without help it can get pretty aerobic. As tuck beds all have pretty close inside dimensions regardless of brand I suggest the following:

A bed organizer. Picture a lightweight frame on full extension sliders that is modular enough to be configured to each owners needs. Basically a base frame on sliders that accepts your choice of say, board racks, gas can racks, closed boxes, surf boards, bikes, dog kennels etc. Now you are selling accessories, that is where the real money is, ask Tule! For loading and unloading you pull a pin and slide the whole thing out to where you can reach three sides. Lacking any real cantilever, use your pending PE degree to figure it out. Good luck and the idea is yours for ever and ever for free. Unless you get rich, then I'll take a new boat.
John

As far as boards only go I would just buy a good bag and throw it in thebed.

I stick a $5 cable through mine and toss em in the back. They don't move enough to harm the boards. For overnights I stick them in the back seat of my truck. It's free. Yours are super trick though and definitely look better. Obviously you have to turn in a product for class, so this is probably as good as anything.....I like them. I wouldn't spend $$ on them, but for PLENTY of guys on here who make FAR more than I do, I'd bet you'd get some takers. Overall, nice job.

How about a rack that securely holds life jackets from the tower to dry as you scream down the hwy, I always get nervous just using the buckles to clamp them up there.

I think if you designed a quick release rack that could go from the boat to the bed of the truck would be better. A stationary mount that stays in the truck and a stationary mount on the tower. With a quick release pin style set up.

i made one out of wood that slide into the 2x4 slots, easy to remove... but yours are sick.

I like that they are angled towards the side of the bed, so it will be easier to get em out. make the angle enough that they sit lower or flush with the top of the bed for all those toneau (sp?) cover guys.

as you show it in your picture, camper shell guys cant use it, neither can guys with normal toneau covers that hinge up. maybe bring em closer to the tailgate, or put em on a slider system so toneau cover, camper shell, and lifted truck guys can use em.

or keep them where they are and have them telescope up and pivot downwards 45-55 degrees to make for easy loading without having to stand on the tire.

I like it and would use it for long distances.

x3 for "bed racks". they could be used for snowboards, surfboards and whatever else.

Thanks for all the sugestions. The picture I posted is not of my final design. Most of the things pointed out in this thread have already been addressed. The others I felt like were not needed or the cost would be too great.